Artemisia nesiotica is a rare California species of sagebrush in the daisy family, known by the common name island sagebrush. It is endemic to the Channel Islands of California, found on 3 of the 8 islands (San Nicolas, San Clemente, and Santa Barbara Islands).Calflora taxon report, University of California, Artemisia nesiotica Raven, island sage brush, island sagebrush
Description Artemisia nesiotica is a small shrub growing up to about 50 cm (20 inches) tall and generally rounded in shape. It produces several thin, upright stems from a woody base. The foliage is made up of woolly leaves divided into many thin, flat, threadlike segments. The inflorescence is a narrow cluster of several flower heads. The fruit is a tiny resinous achene with a pappus of hairs.Flora of North America Vol. 19, 20 and 21 Page 530 Island sagebrush, Artemisia nesiotica P. H. Raven, Aliso. 5: 341. 1963.
Etymology The earliest name given to the plaint was Crossostephium insulare, coined by Per Axel Rydberg in 1916.Rydberg, Per Axel 1916. in Britton, Nathaniel Lord, North American Flora 34(3): 244 description in English In 1935, Philip Alexander Munz declared this to be a variety of Artemisia californica.Munz, Philip Alexander 1935. Manual of Southern California Botany 601 Peter Raven later wanted to recognize the Channel Island plants as a distinct species within Artemisia, but the name Artemisia insularis had already been used for a Kuril Islands plant in 1936.Kitamura, Siro 1936. Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica 5: 93 Hence Raven's new name, Artemisia nesiotica.Raven, Peter Hamilton 1963. Aliso 5(3): 341
References
External links Calflora Database: Artemisia nesiotica (Island sagebrush) Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Artemisia nesiotica